Autumn verdict on expanding St Pancras capacity

Work has started on finding ways to increase passenger capacity at St Pancras International station by 50% by the end of the decade, to cope with expected growth in travel to European destinations through the Channel Tunnel.

Although only revamped 17 years ago at a cost of £800 million, HS1’s London terminus is already considered unfit for purpose, with long queues at passport control since Brexit. 

Operator Eurostar says it can solve these problems on its own, but adds that it wants to increase services in advance of threatened competition from new operators wanting to run trains further into mainland Europe.